“I was afraid this would happen,” wrote SP on one site, http://www.allymcbeal.tktv.net. “[Thorne-Smith] is the main reason I keep watching the show. ‘Ally’ has lost much of its ‘oomph,’ if you ask me.”

“It’s really sad that Gil [Bellows] is leaving,” wrote another fan. “The character of Billy has been a huge part of what makes the character of ‘Ally.’ The dynamic of the show will surely change.”

But Berman said other characters, like Ally’s evil officemate Ling (Lucy Liu), will now have to step up to the plate.

“There are enough strong characters, including Lucy Liu, who wasn’t introduced until the second season,” Berman said. “And if they’re smart, they’ll try to bring some new blood into the show.”

Series creator David E. Kelley says he will do just that.

“Billy and Georgia will re-occur next season, and new characters will be introduced this year,” Kelley said in a terse statement.

“We’ve had a great run with these characters, who we originally planned to use for the first season only.”